Tracker for musical instruments and the like.



E. J. 61 W. A. KRUCK. TRACKER FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE.

-APPLI'CATION FILED JULY 12, 1915.

Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

W TNESS WW E. J. & W. A..KRUCK.

TRACKER FOR'MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE,

APPLICATION HLED JULYIZ. 1915.

- Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m, il m WITNESS I INVENTORS jwi/w 32 4 4004 ms norms ruzns m. Mom-1.1mm, vusmnamu, u c.

E. J. & W. A. KRUCK.

TRACKER FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLEDJULYIZ,19|5- I 1,192,076, Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEET$-SHEET 3 WITNESS INVENTORS $44M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERVIN J. KRUCK AND WALTER A. KRUCK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRACKER FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed July 12, 1915.

T0 cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Envnv J. KRUoK and lVaL'run A. Kline/K, citizens of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn of the city of New York, in the county of Kings, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovcments in Trackers for Musical Instruments and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof.

This invention relates to devices for corrooting or preventing the lateral displacement of the music sheet it passes over the tracker-bar of an automatic ,inusieal instrument or piano player for the purpose of insuring and maintaining accurate registra tion of the perforations of the music sheet with the ports or terminals of the trackerbar. Devices intended to accomplish this same general purpose, and commonly called tracking devices or trackers, at least so far as they have proved atisfactory in practical operation, have thus far depended upon the operation of pneumatic devices (rarely electric dev for shifting either the music sheet itself, or, as an equivalent, the trackerbar, to overcome or compensate for the accidental displacement or wandering of the music sheet which would otherwise interfere with the desired accuracy of registration,

such pneumatic shifting devices being controlled or having their operation initiated by the slight wandering of the music sheet through intermediate devices, sometimes mechanical or electric, but usually pneumatic, which determine the connection of the pneumatic devices with the vacuum or pressure system. The main object of the invention is to produce a tracker which shall be entirely mechanical in its operation, as distinguished from the trackers which depend directly upon pneumatic devices, inechanical devices, as is well understood, being not only more positive in their action than pneumatic devices, but being also capable of greater sensitiveness and accuracy. Inc1 dental to the attainment of the main object of the invention is also the attainment of simplicity in construction, great accuracy and certainty in operation, and non-liability to derangement by ordinarily careful use.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the ac companying drawings in which it is illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 39,262.

trated as embodied in a satisfactory form and in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of so much of the tracker-box and appurtenant parts of an automatic player as is necessary to enable the application of the invention to be understood. Fig. 2 is a detail view in elevation, partly in section, and on .a larger scale, of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view in section on the plane indicated by the broken line 38 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view in section on the plane indicated by the broken line l-t of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail View, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a portion of the winding-on roll with its appurtenances. Fig. 6 is a view in section on the plane indicated by the broken line-6--6 of Fig. 5.

So far as the character of the invention is concerned, it might be applied to an automatic piano player, or other similar mech anism, of any kind, whether electric or pneumatic, and whether, if the playing devices are pneumatic, the mechanism through which the travel of the music sheet is produced, be driven from an electric, or pneumatic, or other motor. It is also immaterial whether the tracker bar be shifted with respect to the music and winding-on rolls or either of them, or the music rolls or either of them be shifted with respect to the tracl zer-bar. The invention is most conveniently embodied, however, in a trackerbox mechanism of the general character of that indicated in the drawings, and particularly in 1, in which the music roll a and the winding-on spool 1 are driven through suitable gearing indicated at c, from a motor (Z, which may be of any suitable character. The usual clutch connections between. the gearing and the spools are controlled, for winding and rewinding, by the operator through suitable devices including, in the construction shown, a lever 6 and link 6, and a lever 0 It will be understood that during the winding-on, while playing, the winding-on spool Z) is connected with the driving shaft Z1" through the clutch Z2 and that for the rc-wind the music spool a is operatively connected to the motor while the clutch b is open, the parts being then in the positions indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The rolls a and Z) are not movable axially in this construction, but the tracker-bar f, the ports of which are connected by tubes f with the player pneumatics, as usual, is mounted in the tracke=box so as to be movable freely in an endwise direction, being shown as hung by links f from brackets 7". Provision is made, as will now be described, whereby any wa dering or lateral displacement of the music sheet y in its travel from the music roll o to the winding-on roll 7), is immediately accompanied by a corresponding movement of the trackerbar 7', so that accurate registration of the music sheet and the tracker-bar is always maintained.

Adjacent the edge of the music sheet and preferably close to the tracker-bar is mounted a detector h, preferably in the form of a sleeve grooved circumferentially, mounted to move freely, both in a longitudinal direction and rotarily. on a spindle h held in the end frames of the tracker box. the detector being held gently against the edge of the music sheet by the weight of certain connected parts as hereinafter explained or, if desired. by a light spring which is not shown. The circumferential groove if of the sleeve is engaged by a finger Z: which is provided at its end with a ball 7. and extended downwardly from a spindle or rock-shaft Z' mounted freely in bearings in a stud Z secured on the frame of the mechanism and in a bracket Z2 secured to the stud. A forked arm 7c is also secured to the spindle Z1 extending horizontally. Supported freely by the forked arm 71 is a shifting lever Z which may move up or down with the movement of the arm is, as it is moved or is permitted to move under the inlluence of the weight of the lever Z: by the detector 7a, which follows the edge of the music sheet g in its wandering. being pressed to the right when the edge of the sheet wanders to the right and following the edge of the sheet to the left as it wanders to the left. The lever Z has a spherical bearing Z in a cylindrical sleeve P, a pin Z fixed in the spherical bearing Z entering slots Z in the sleeve so as to prevent the twisting of the lever Z while permitting it to move upward and downward freely.

it its upper end the lever Z has a spherical bearing Z" in a cylindrical socket 7 secured to the longitudinally movable tra 'ker-har f. As the lever Z is swung in one direction or the other by the means hereinafter described and acting through the lower end of the lever, the tracker-bar is moved co respondingly, but in the opposite direction. and at the same time the lever is free to be moved up or down by the de teeter-controlled arm Z2 for the purpose of varying the extent of movement of the tracker-bar. as hereinafter explained.

it its lower end the lever Z has a spherical roller bearing Z which enters the groove of a cam m which is mounted on the hub of the winding-on roll 6. The cam on is formed preferably as shown in detail in Figs. 5 and (3, comprising a sleeve hub m mounted somewhat free y on the hub Z) of the roll 7). with a conical flange of, which is recessed radially on its convex surface. as indicated at m and a correspomling conical flange or", recessed radially on its concave side, as at m. The two conical flanges form between them a circumferential cam slot, inclined with respect to the axis of rotation, that is to say, a cam slot with parllel but conical side walls. Clearance spaces are formed at intervals by the registering radial recesses of and m. lhe hub m is retained in place on the hub 7f by a. keeper m, and the flange m is retained tightly in place on the hub m l a keeper m which is threaded on the hub m and clamps the hub of the flange or tightly against a roller of the hub m. The keeper of constitutes one member of a clutcln ha ving holes m to receive the pins 2/, of the movable member '22 of the clutch. The latter is grooved circumferentially as at ir-"for engagement by a pin 0 carried by the secondary lever cfi connected by the link 0 with the clutch lever c whic operates in the usual manner the winding-on clutch 0', so that when the winding-on clutch is closed the cam m rotates with the roll Z) and wl en the winding-on clutch is open, for the rewind, the cam on is released from the roll I) and does not rotate therewith. It is desirable that the cam m shall be stopped, when it is released from the roll 7), for the re wind. in a definite position, with the spherical roller bearing Z of the shifting lever Z in one of the clearance spaces formed by he radial recesses m and 111 Accordingly the hub of the flange 1/1 provided. at

proper points, with radial pins m and on a fixed member of the frame is pivoted a latch 0 which is notched on its under side, as at o; the clutch lever 0 is provided with an pin c which. in the re-wind position of the lever, enters the notch 0 thereby permitting the latch u to drop into the path of the pins m" and to stop the cam in in a definite position by contact with one of the pins, while the movement the clutch le. ver 0 to the winding-on position causes the pin a". by engagement with the inclined side of the notch 0, to lift the latch 0, thereby permitting the cam m to rotate with the roll 6.

lVith the parts in the re-wind position. as represented in the drawings, the cam '22 is stationary and the tracker is idle, but when the parts are moved to the winding-on position the cam m rotates and the tracker becomes active as it is required to exercise its functions. If then the music sheet wanders slightly to tne right. the detector it is also moved to the right and, through the spindle k with its arms, the shifting lever Z is raised, raising the spherical roller bearing Z in the conical cam slot. The result of this is to move the lower end of the shifting lever to the left and consequently the upper end of the shifting lever and therefore the tracker-bar f to the right in accord with the wandering of the music sheet to the right. Itavill be understood that the conical cam slot operates as if its walls were formed without the radial recesses, the clearance spaces formed by such radial recesses insuring the perfect freedom of endwise movement of the shifting lever, without danger of binding or jamming. If the music sheet wanders to the left, the detector, influenced by the weight of the shifting lever, follows it to the left and permits the shifting lever to move downward and its lower end to approach the axis of rotation of the cam and therefore to move to the right, with a consequent movement of the tracker-bar to the left.

It will be observed that all of the parts which are moved by edge pressure of the music sheet may be so nearly counterbalanced and at the same time so light in weight while the shifting lever is su'lliciently strong to shift the tracker-bar that the actual pressure on the edge of the music sheet is not sufficient to mutilate the edge of the music sheet in any degree whatsoever. Moreover, since there is no appreciable elasticity in any of the parts and the required clearance between the relatively moving parts is so small, the improved mechanism is exceedingly sensitive and the slightest wandering of the music sheet is compensated for immediately by a correspondingly slight movement of the tracker-bar. Substantially perfeet registration is therefore insured at all times. It will also be observed that the lever Z, herein called a shifting lever, constitutes variable shifting means for changing the relative position of the tracker-bar and the rolls, or one of them, that the cam on is an actuator for such shifting means, and that the spindle if and its associated parts constitute means under the control of the detector for changing the effective relation between the shiftingmeans and the actuator. In a pneumatically controlled tracker the tracker-bar or the rolls, as the case may be, is or are shifted to a greater or less extent by a greater or less collapsing of the actuating bellows, the movement of the free member of the bellows being transmitted to the tracker-bar or the rolls by transmission devices which have no other function, while in the present case there is no bellows to be collapsed to greater or less extent.

It will be obvious that various changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts might be made to suit different conditions of use and that the invention therefore is not restricted to the precise construction shown and described herein.

We claim as our invention l. A tracker for automatic musical instruments and the like, comprising a roll, a

tracker-bar, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally with respect to the other, a detector for contact with the edg of the music sheet, variable mechanical shifting means for shifting the relatively movable part, a mechanical actuator therefor, and means whereby the movement of said shifting means is controlled by the detector.

2. A tracker for automatic musical instruments and the like, comprising a roll, a tracker-bar, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally with respect to the other, means for shifting the relativ position of said parts, an actuator for said means having a definite movement, a detector for contact with the edge of the traveling sheet, and means under the con trol of the detector for changing the effective relation between the shifting means and .2

the actuator.

3. A tracker for automatic musical instruments and the like, comprising a roll, a tracker-bar, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally with respect to the other, means for shifting the relative position of said parts, a cam for actuating said means, a detector for contact with the edge of the traveling sheet, and means under the control of the detector for changing the effective relation between the shifting means and the cam.

4. A tracker for automatic musical in struments and the like, comprising a roll, a tracker-bar, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally with respect to the other, a shifting lever for changing the relative position of said parts, a cam for actuating said shifting lever, a

detector for contact with the edge of the traveling sheet, means under the control of the. detector for changing the effective relation between the shifting lever and the cam.

5. A tracker for automatic musical instruments and the like, comprising a roll, a traekerbar, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally with respect to the other, a detector for contact with the edge of the music sheet, a shifting lever movable bodily and ogeratively connected with the relatively movable part, a cam for engagement with the shifting lever and inclined in the direction of bodily movement of the shifting lever, and means whereby the movement of the detector is caused to impart bodily movement to the shifting lever.

6. A tracker for automatic musical instr ments and the like, comprising a roll, a tracker-bar, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally with resgect to the other, a detector for contac" with the edge of the music sheet, a shifting lever movable bodily and operative v 'onnccttd with the relativel" at a rotatable cam provided v it nclincd, circnmterential o ngagement with said d means whereby the move. 4

tor will cause to impart bodily e lever.

'1. Au tracker for automatic inns io lilze, comnrisin Al instrua roll, I.

l'iiCliQldJill, one of the two parts last named being relatively movable longitudinally v th 1 .ioi comact respect to the other,

ial slot for operatl A i l shifting lever, one o i ls or the slot being recessed to with the e lge ol the 1 h a shifting lever movable bodily and operatively con 1 ectetl with the relatively movable part, a rotatable cam nrovided with an anally ini W clnico cncunneient form a cle: rance space, and means where bv the movement or the detector will cause to impart both y ;.iovenient to the shitting ments and the like, com )llSlLg a 'oll, a tracker-bar, r t

being relat"'e respect to L wil the co t s e t j D lever movable bodily and opera connected with the relatively mova a cam for engagement with the sh'l mg lever and inclined 1n the direction bodily movement of the sh tting lever, and a lever 11 operative engagement L the detector an the SllliblllL a c1 LUJ. bodily lip! ment oi the shitting 1th respect to the cam.

9. Li tracker for automatic musical instruments and the like, comp"- trachcr-bar, one or the two being relatively movable lon 1 respect to he other, a deter with the i l *e of the nnts c s lever mm ale bodilv and o. nected with the rclat n a rotatable cam in" ided "h inclined, circunrtewrtia e .l the rotation of the car tion, and means c u the detector is causes to imoai ment to the sh.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents aington, B. o.

struments and the like, comprising a roll, a tracker-bar, one of the two parts last named b i l l bl l t l' ll o i in am e moia e longi UL ma y wioi respect to the other, a detector tor contact with the edge of the music sheet, a shifting ever movable bod7ly and opcrativcly coniccte with the rela ively n'iovable part, a.

LL rotatable cam provided with a axially inespect o the other, a detector for contact 1 o with the edge of the music sheet, a shifting levemovable bodily and operatlvely coneo. with the relatively movable part, a rotatable cam provided with an axially inclmed, circmnferential slot, one oi the slots being recessed a intervals to term clcarndmg-on shalt and clutch,

ance spaces, w a driving clutch or the cam, the cam being ly on its shaft, and a lever for opcratii'i simultancously the windingon clutca and the cam clutch, and 1 cans whereby the movement of the detector is caused to impart bodily movement to the shifting lever.

12. tracker for automatic musical inmounted loose straments and the like, comprising a roll, a tracker-b 1r, one of the two parts last named being rclativcl movable longitudinally with respect to the other, a dete -tor tor contact with the edge of the music sheet, a shifting lever movable oodily and operat-ivcly con nected with an axially inclined, circumferential slot, one of the slots being recessed at intervals to form clearance spaces, a wind lug-on shaft and clutch, a driving; clutch for the cam, the cam being mounted loosely on its shaft, and a lever for operating simultaneously he winding-on clutch and the cam clutch, devices controlled. by the movement if the clutch lever to stop the cam in a leiinite position, and means .vhereby the noven'cnt of the detector is caused to im- ;a t bodily movement to the shifting lever. leis specification signed this 8 day of lv A. D. 1915.

Elll lhl J. KRUCK. WALTER A. KRUCK. 

